


Here Comes A Thought

by chronicAngel



Series: Leaves in the Summer [27]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Anxiety, Bruises, Drabble, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, POV Third Person, Talking, Training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2019-03-28 22:37:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13913601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chronicAngel/pseuds/chronicAngel
Summary: "Do you ever wonder what would happen if... if they'd never left?" Her voice is too soft, but her mentor clearly hears her anyway. She doesn't clarify who she's talking about as she continues, "Or... if they ever came back...?"





	Here Comes A Thought

**Author's Note:**

> Happy International Women's Day!
> 
> While reading this fic, I recommend listening to [Here Comes A Thought](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHg50mdODFM) from Steven Universe, as that's what I listened to while writing it and that's where the title comes from.

She stands across from her mentor in a crouching stance, watching as the older woman swipes her leg out around her body and knocks an old tree over at the roots. There are trees all around them, coated in moss due to the persistently damp conditions. Sakura has been visiting this place with Tsunade-sama for nearly a year now and she doesn't think the air has ever been dry, a constant, cold humidity permeating the air in Shikkotsu Forest.

"Now you do it," Tsunade says, gesturing at another tree that is forced to lean against another by the weight of its dead branches.

"I don't know if I have that much chakra built up yet, Tsunade-sama," she says, blushing and ducking her head down so she stares at her bare toes in moist grass.

Her teacher takes a step toward her and rests a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Just try it, Sakura." She glances up into warm brown eyes and feels her resolve harden, giving a single nod. Turning toward the tree, she balls her gloved hands into fists at her sides and takes a step forward, feeling the grass and leaves that have slowly begun to pile on the ground in the last days rustling underneath the balls of her feet. She closes her eyes, focusing both her chakra and her strength into her leg before crouching down like her teacher had moments ago. She lifts herself onto one hand to pivot her body rather than staying on her foot and swings her leg out around her.

Sasuke's face flashes through her mind at the last second and she startles, losing her grip on the ground and crumpling in a heap in the dank dirt.

She is sure the only reasons she hasn't cut her palms against the tree's roots under her are the fingerless leather gloves on her hands, the same things preventing her from gaining calluses on her knuckles from the countless training dummies she has punched in the last year. "Sakura," Tsunade says, crouching in front of her and offering her a hand up. She takes it gratefully, staring at the ground in shame. "Your swing was good. What happened?"

"My stance--"

"It had nothing to do with your stance," Tsunade immediately dismisses, waving a hand through the air. "What happened?"

She sighs and forces herself to make eye contact with the older woman, her cheeks still warm with humiliation and disappointment in herself. There's nothing but concern in the amber pair across from her when their gazes meet. "I got cocky. I should have used two hands..." She trails off when Tsunade's expression goes stern, mouth drawing itself into a thin line. It's a more thorough discipline than outward scolding would be. "Do you ever wonder what would happen if... if they'd never left?" Her voice is too soft, but her mentor clearly hears her anyway. She doesn't clarify who she's talking about as she continues, "Or... if they ever came back...?" She looks back at her feet, the leather of her gloves scrunching as she curls and uncurls her fingers at her sides.

"I think about it a lot... That some day, I might have to..." She chews her lip, shaking her head. "Some day, after I finish my training, I might have to use my skills to fight or... or _kill_ him. And sometimes, when we're training here, it just feels like I'm already there, because I'm _so close_ \--"

"Sakura." Tsunade cuts her off, but she doesn't look angry. She almost looks amused, if also somewhat annoyed, taking a seat on the ground and patting the earth across from her. When Sakura sits, she starts, "What you use your skills for in the future is your choice." She pauses. After a moment, she adds with a more fierce edge to her voice, "And you'll never get to make that choice if you sabotage your training worrying about a boy. This is about _you_. Your training. Your progress. Not what happens to Uchiha Sasuke."

She drops her eyes to her feet again, her mind running with a thousand thoughts about why her teacher is wrong. "Hey," Tsunade says, calling her attention again. She doesn't look up but sits straighter to silently communicate that she's listening. "I did used to worry about it," she offers, and Sakura's eyes flicker up long enough to catch a gentle smile from her teacher. "We were almost 40 when Orochimaru left the village, but I spent months worrying that Jiraiya and I would have to fight our teammate... That _I_ would have to fight my teammate. And you know what?" She finally looks up all the way, her eyes wide and curious where her teacher's are partly-lidded and fond. "I did. We've fought a few times over the years. But I'm fine. Better, even." Tsunade looks toward the high treeline, expression nostalgic. "Fighting him won't break you. Now try it again."

She nods with newfound determination, pushing herself off the ground. Like the last time, she falls into a crouch before picking herself up on one arm, holding her body up with a shaking elbow but enough strength that she won't collapse unless she panics again. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, willing herself to relax until she can't hear her own thoughts or breathing. She notices her elbow stop shaking underneath her. Focusing her chakra to her leg once more, she begins to twist her body, bringing her leg to the base of the tree with a heavy strike and a sharp pain that makes her suck a breath through her teeth. She falls to the ground on her back and cracks her eyes open just in time to see the trunk crashing into the ground. She feels a giddy feeling fill her chest, crushing the throbbing pain from the colorful bruise already forming on her leg.


End file.
